Guest - Not logged in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reviews > Clothing > Socks > The Sock Guy MTN Tech Hiker > Test Report by Michael Mosack
SOCKGUY MTN-TECH HIKER EL CAP SOCKS
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
TESTER INFORMATION
I've been backpacking for over 30 years, doing solo and group trips, with and without kids. I do day trips, weekenders and week-long or longer trips throughout the year. I backpack in all climates and seasons, from summer desert trips to Spring/Winter camping in Michigan, Canada California and Grand Canyon, Arizona to Afghanistan and rely on my backpacking equipment constantly. I prefer to go lighter whenever possible and am always trying new items. Quality and reliability of items I carry are paramount to me over price and weight
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Sock Guy PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The Sock Guy Mtn-Tech Hiker El Cap, hereafter referred to as socks or the sock, are a performance wool blend, mid-weight, crew length sock. It is designed using bold colors and modern patterns that I haven't seen before. There is one color option for this model, being brown, blue and trimmed in black. The primary color of the sock is brown and the additional colors are a combination of different fibers and dyed areas of the sock. There are double stitched areas of the sock that according to the manufacturer, are to provide additional padding in the heel, toe and ankle, and two sections across the top of the foot area having distinctly different weaves for breathability and moisture transfer. There are also "air channels" within the sock design (note the black parallel lines that encompass the middle area of the foot). There is a thick cuff at the top of the sock and I can easily feel the different weaves, thicknesses of material and pattern of the sock as I touch the different areas. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
I found the packaging to be attractive, simple and informative. The use of the bright green color on the packaging and image of a backpacker overlooking a mountainous view is compatible with the standard graphic symbol and statement to, "Please recycle this package." The packaging fails to list however, if the materials used in this package or product actually came from recycled materials. It would be a nice addition to complete the full circle and show that the manufacturer is truly "green" in its beliefs and practices. READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
The only instructions are the washing instructions. These are listed on the website in English, but in 4 languages on the packaging. TRYING IT OUT When I first handled the socks, I thought they might be prickly or scratchy on my skin and too small for my feet. I normally wear low cut socks because they are cooler, as I work in the desert of Afghanistan where unrelenting heat affects my choice of what to wear. I was surprised in that these crew length socks are as comfortable to wear as they are. I had some initial difficulty pulling up the socks past my heel, but I do have large feet and this is something I deal with all of the time. I briefly wondered if I was going to be able to get them on at all. Once on they are form fitting with no extra material or thick seams commonly located around the toes like other socks. I do not feel any tightness or constriction from the socks and they seem well made. Presently, I can find no defects of workmanship at all. The socks are comfortable and airy and I can feel a slight breeze flowing through the sock across the top of the foot and in the toes. SUMMARY
Overall, I am initially impressed with these socks. They appear to be durable, well designed and constructed. I have found that they fit like a second skin and breathe well. My feet are comfortable and not overly warm or sweaty. I like the color and design and the manufacturer's packaging is attractive and lists full contact information. I look forward to testing these socks. FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I have worn these socks approximately 20 times during my daily travels in Afghanistan. The temperatures have ranged from 55 F (13 C) to 131 F (55 C). This is a desert type terrain with a surface ranging from a fine powder type dust to very rocky areas and bright clear sunny skies throughout. I have also used these socks during a trip to the Sierras. I wore them on 6 days and the terrain consisted of grassy fields, swamp lands, to rocky and snowy mountainous areas. The weather there consisted of sunny and clear to partly cloudy skies and temperatures from 58 F (14 C) to 85 F (30 C). Elevations I have travelled during this test period have ranged from sea level to over 9800 ft. (3000 m). PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Putting on and wearing the socks, I have found so far that the opening at the cuff is a little too tight. On occasion, I have heard a ripping sound as I have attempted to pull the socks over my heel/ankle. Once on, they are comfortable and I am able to wear them all day and without a thought about how they are holding up. The seams are flat and unnoticed when worn. The socks feel airy, even in very hot temperatures. I have found that when I go to take them off at the end of the day, that my feet are clean and no fuzzies are left on my feet. I have also seen where my ankles seem a little swollen or there is a little evidence of edema around the area where the top of the socks are usually pulled up to. This hasn't caused any pain or discomfort and the edema has gone away within a few hours or over night. Still it leaves me a little concerned in that I have never seen this happen from any other socks I have worn, so I am monitoring this closely. SUMMARY
To date, I have worn these socks many times and except for some relatively minor issues already discussed above, I find that the socks are well made and comfortable. I am monitoring some minor pilling of the material and some edema I have been getting around the top cuff of the sock which I believe is due in part to the tightness of the cuff against my larger diameter ankles. The socks do not "quit" in that they do not slide down my ankles during the course of a hike or even all day. They stay where I choose to wear them and I like that a lot. The colors have stayed true during many washings, both machine and hand. I have not yet machine dried the socks as I want to wait to the end of this test to try that in case they shrink. I think I am at the maximum range for these socks already and don't want to ruin my ability to continue if they were to shrink before I was able to complete this test. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I have worn these socks during a two day trip to Dubai United Arab Emirates. The temperature there was approximately 92 F (33 C) both days and the elevation was from sea level to approximately 9 feet (3 m) above sea level. This area is mostly desert type terrain that has beach access to the Persian Gulf. The specific terrain I was on included city streets, side walks, groomed grassy areas, beach sand and sandy to rocky desert areas. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Throughout the course of this testing period, the socks have done pretty well. They continue to maintain their shape and elasticity. Their colors have not faded much despite approximately 25 to 30 washings. I have machine dried the socks and using "low" or "no heat" settings, they do not appear to have shrunk at all. The socks have shown minor pilling of the fabric from the very first time I wore them, but this has not affected their performance in any obviously noticeable way. SUMMARY
I received these socks for testing with the knowledge that my feet were a little bigger than the size limits for these socks. This is not something that I am a stranger to as I often can not find socks that are intended to fit my size 14 feet. However, I did test them like I would any other sock, despite the size issue. I found that these socks are a little more difficult to put on and take off as I stretch them over my heel. Once on, they are comfortable and I can easily forget that they are on my feet. The sock upper stays where I put them, meaning that if I pull them up, they stay there all day. If I choose to wear them scrunched down, they stay there as well. I feel air movement around my toes when I wear the socks, even when I have shoes or boots on. My feet do not seem to sweat much at all even when I am in very hot climates. Now that this test is complete, I probably will no longer wear these socks. The swelling of my lower legs that I have noticed from the very beginning has returned each time I have worn these socks and while this is minor and it goes away in short order, it is still something that causes me enough concern that I do not wish to experience this any further. I believe that if the socks were a bit larger or my feet were a little smaller, that this might have had a difference, but I will never know for sure. I can not find any other negative thing to say about the socks. On the positive side, they hold their shape and color well. They are comfortable on my feet and they are constructed so that there are no noticeable seams and no excessive material that could bunch near the toes. They breathe well and do not hold any foot odor. Read more reviews of The Sock Guy gear Read more gear reviews by Michael Mosack Reviews > Clothing > Socks > The Sock Guy MTN Tech Hiker > Test Report by Michael Mosack |